Diesel_Aggie

You might want to consider spray foam insulation. A Google search will return plenty of info. I don't know how your RV is constructed. My 1983 Sunrader has about 1/2" foam block insulation in the walls....where it has any at all. This is maybe R2 or R3 value. I looked at the thicker block foam insulation that could get me up to an R7. Big problem here is I'd have to rework the whole dinette/interior as the inside would now be narrower. Same problem with the bunk. Ceiling would also be lower and it is tight enough as it is. R7 is also not very good. High end RVs such as Teton 5th wheels or BigFoot truck campers can have up to R-25 in the ceiling R-10 in the walls and R-18 in the floors. They also have thermal pane windows and walls that are 2-3 inches thick. Trying to duplicate this in a Toyota of any variety seems to be highly impractical to me. The block insulation is also flammable. At first the spray foam insulation didn't seem very good to me. It's not sprayed all that thick and the marketers claim it's rated different that standard insulation so comparing R-values is not fair. I'm not very trusting of marketers. What everyone has told me about is it will completely seal up the area it is applied to. After months of pondering this seems like a great thing that would help it insulate extremely well. You may have 3" floors with R-18 but if air is leaking in you are already losing. If you seal all the areas you just won 1/2 the battle in my opinion. This also seems like it would help with fighting bugs. Even new RVs I've looked at over $100,000 have such poor workmanship that you really have to go through on your own to seal them up properly. My understanding is the spray foam is also very light. My understanding is it's also very rigid. Properly doing the RV would require gutting the interior and then spraying. You end up with a rough finish that you may have to scrap in many areas to get flush before repaneling. Seems this may be the best solution for Toyota MHs with thin walls. There are companies such a Hehr that will make custom thermal pane windows to your specifications. They will be thicker than most Toyota windows and you will spend thousands of dollars. This is one of your biggest gains in keep the RV temperate though. Another think you might consider is a product call Hustmat or Dyna mat for the cab. These are both sound insualation products that go on the firewall, ceiling, inside doors and under carpet. They dramatically reduce noise and will also help insulate.

What about a play on the "Got 50mpg?" stickers the VW TDI crowd is fond of http://www.needasticker.com/got%2050MPG.jpg that says "Got 17mpg?" or 15, or 19. I think this would draw a lot of attention to the board as well as envy from other RV owners. Add the web address around the edge. I'm willing to buy any sticker the board comes up with.

http://www.crazedlist.org/ also works. I found my Sunrader simply by typing "Sunrader" in Google. I happened upon a random forum where a guy said he was interested in selling.

Just to clarify I'm actually talking about something different than the heat strip that most a/c units are prewired for. The heat strips typically put out 5600btus of heat. http://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas/USA/R...uctdataid=66934 is one example of a heat pump model made by Dometic. It provides 13,500btus of both cooling and heating. This http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-air-...t-strip-kit.htm is an example of a heat strip putting out 5600btus. I installed a Dometic 15,000btu ac/heat pump on a 5th wheel and it certainly helped out. The drawback is below about 40 degrees the heat pump can't provide much heat. Here is a Dometic brochure on all the heat pump models http://www.dometic.com/f0493afb-4b19-459b-...32be76248.fodoc

I ordered an '88 1-ton full floating DRW axle, 4 wheels with almost new Bridgestone tires, swaybar, shocks and springs for $600. Shipping from south Alabama to Amarillo, TX was $300. Local 4x4 fabrication shop will be doing the install/fabrication next week. I plan to post a writeup hopefully with pictures. That depends on how friendly they are to me hanging around with the camera documenting the progress.

On my trip from Portland, OR to Amarillo, TX in January I averaged 15.2mpg for the trip. 1983 Sunrader 18' 22R 4-speed manual. I drove 65mph except on the worst tank of 12.9mpg and another I describe below. This was in the mountains with high winds with a long stretch where 59mpg was top speed foot to floor. 3 tanks at 17mpg, one tank at 21mpg. 21mpg was going 55mpg from Raton, NM 6680' to Amarillo, TX 3605'. It was also not a full tank. I knew the mileage was good so I wanted to fill out fo curiousity. I should also add there is not a rooftop A/C on the unit. RV was empty except for a suitcase and a sleeping bag.

If you frequently use your RV in cooler weather with full hookups you might consider one of the 13,500btu A/C models that also has a 13,500btu electric heat pump. This will save you money on propane. Dometic makes them as well as others.

www.car-part.com typically has several listed for sale. I'll be ordering one soon.....I'm the '83 owner who had the recent failure. I highly recommend everyone replace the 5-lug. Axles are easy to find. Wheels are pretty easy to find. Leaf springs are proving difficult to find. They can always be made by a spring shop but I find $500 for a pair to be too pricey for something I *should* be able to find at the wrecking yard.

Another product you might consider is http://www.ultraheat.com/rv_products.html In addition to the tank heaters they offer heat strips for the drain pipes and elbows. If you look at very high end 5th wheels such as Teton homes you will see that their Arctic Pack includes a similar set up. You will need to make sure you have the voltage to run all of this. The site gives you advice on that. Worst case you could upgrade to a 50amp electrical system. You might also look under the RV and see if there is anyway to add some insulation around the tanks. Your 4 Seasons 5th wheels will have insulation on the underbody held up by what I describe as plastic cardboard. This will be much harder to do on a motorhome as you have to worry about the driveshaft. You might also consider getting storm windows made for the RV. That will help retain heat in the unit. The ones on my Lance are held in place with rotating plastic clips. Other suggestions are to seal off the cab area when parked. I found that all the glass in this area lets a lot of cold in. There is a product called Hushmat that can be applied inside the doors and around the metal areas of the cab that makes the vehicle much quieter and will also add insulating vaule. http://www.hushmat.com/ Depending on the style of roof vent you have you can buy square insulators that are about 3-4" thick. Camping World has them for under $20 but I can't find the on their web site. http://www.nofreezewaterhose.com/ makes heated water hoses that work very well. I used one last winter with no freezing in single digits. http://www.superrvproducts.com/ makes basically the same thing. Based on my Amarillo, TX winter experience with my Sunrader I'd agree that these are extremely poorly insulated and not suited for winter. The furnace is adequte but the insulation is pathetic. It's hard to go thicker without serious compromises. If I put thicker on the walls of my bunk, the short bed gets even shorter. If I try and do it at the rear I'd have to shrink the dinette. If I go thicker on the ceiling I lose what minimal headroom I have. My unit has 1/2" thick styrofoam (some wall areas have NOTHING) that is maybe R2 or R3. Hope this helps you stay warm this winter.

What is your roof made of? I've done some EPDM (rubberlike membrane) repairs on a 5th wheel trailer. Dicor is one of the main manufacturers of this product. http://www.dicor.com/ It is typically layed over the plywood on the roof. If you have a soft roof, you will need to pull off all the vents, skylights, etc. then pull up the old roofing material. You can then replace the rotten plywood. You may have supports underneath or in walls with water damage too. Once you have your new wood secured, make sure it is perfectly smooth with no sharp edges. You then test fit the new EPDM sheets. When you have them sized right you put the Dicor roofing adhesive down and then carfully lay the EPDM sheet down making sure to get it straight and removing any bubbles. It will typically wrap around the sides of the RV about an inch. There is a trim piece with tons of screws that hold this on. PPL RV used to have EPDM sheets in various lengths listed on it's web page. I can't find them listed right now. They were about the cheapest source I found. http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-roof...f-repairs-1.htm If you have an aluminum roof it appears to be much the same set up. I have an aluminum roof on my Lance camper that recently suffered hail damage. I'm in the learning process now. All-Rite RV sells the rolls of aluminum. They also sell various rubber roofing. http://www.all-rite.com/index.php?cPath=29 Hope this helps. All-Rite also seems to have many unique RV supplies I have not been able to find elsewhere.

http://providence.craigslist.org/car/707438430.html I found this oddball Toyota RV while searching for a 6-lug axle. Just wanted to share this unique vehicle as I thought it might be of interest to others.

Here's a picture of the duals and outer axle. The picture of the rear of the Sunrader on the ground didn't come out well....I was trying not to get run over and was in a hurry to get to the airport. I'm the pilot so missing the flight was not an option! I'll get some more pics when I can. I did get some fiberglass damage in the rear of the left wheelwell where the duals hit. It's about an 8" crack wrapping from inside the wheelwell to the outside. Won't be too hard for the fiberglass shop to fix. The left rear fender flare is totally gone. Any ideas other than RV salvage yards where I could find one? I think something could be fabricated in it's place pretty easily. I find the factory ones quite ugly anyway. Thanks to the poster (Diesel Mike I think) who gave the info on the '87-88 rear ends having the same width springs. If I can just drop the old axle/springs and bolt in the new one to the same mounts I'm in good shape. If the shock mounts are the same I'll be thrilled. I can handle making brake lines and parking brake cables. Metal fabrication/welding is not in my skill set. The picture will be very useful. Hope to compare this evening. It's interesting someone on this board got the failure report within an hour of it happening! A bicyclist also pulled up behind me and was taking picture. I was on the phone with AAA and the towing company so didn't get the chance to talk with him before he disappeared. AAA offers a coverage level with +RV that you may want to consider. I get up to 100 miles of free towing that includes RV use. Used it here and last year when I broke an axle on the F-350 DRW with 33' 5th wheel hooked up.

I have a 1983 Sunrader 18' with the 5-lug axle. I wasn't too worried about it as it seems the 18' models were not subject to the recall and the previous owners had replaced the bearings. Today I needed to use the Sunrader to commute to work as a backup vehicle. At 65mph on I-40 the left rear duals decided they no longer wanted to be attached to the rest of the vehicle. There was no warning. Controlling a Sunrader while riding on the brakes shoes/backing plate is a major challenge. I was very lucky and was able to slide to the shoulder without losing control and rolling. It set up a severe fishtail that was hard to control. It seems the fiberglass survived with no damage. I still need to make a close inspection of the wheelwell area. I'd highly encourage anyone with the 5 lug set up to replace it ASAP. If anyone has put the '87 up DRW axle in a 1979-1983 Toyota RV please contact me. I'm still not sure how the later model rear end attaches to the older body style. Is fabrication required? I know Toyota supplied the conversion kits to the RV manufacturers that included the proper brackets for each body style. I am unable to find valid part numbers for this kit or bracketry. I assume I need to get the springs along with the axle and wheels? Thanks. On edit I'd like to add that mileage is 99,000 and I've never had more than 200 pounds inside since I've owned it.

Thanks for the pics....I've had a lack of internet access lately so just now seeing the replies. I can see from the '86 that there is definitely some arch to the roof from left to right. Mine is certainly missing that. I'll try and post a pic as well so there is a good reference. It's nice to see that the lips on the side are supposed to be dimpled down. I was really concerned mine had sagged dramatically and that they were originally flush along the sides. That does not appear to be correct. I have found a fiberglass shop in Dallas, TX who will jack up the roof in the center, hopefully popping it out the original shape and then add 2-3 support beams from the inside similar to the late model Sunraders. Quoted $6-700 if I pulled the interior which needs to come out anyway. Seems reasonable to me and I won't have to worry about it collapsing again once the 15,000BTU A/C is mounted. PS: if anyone would like some genuine Oregon souvenier pine cones I pulled about 200 of them out along with pleny of rat/squirrel nests!

It's very common to get debris in the RV furnaces that block sufficient gas flow to light off. Odd that it would suddenly occur in the winter but but based on the hornets nest I'd certainly suggest a good cleaning when weather permits. If you will do some searching on RV furnaces you can find some decent trouble shooting tips. If I remember correctly there are 3 things that can cause it to go into lockout mode, one of which is low gas pressure. Here is the Suburban Furnace FAQ link: http://www.rvcomfort.com/suburban/service/...s_questions.php http://www.rverscorner.com/furnace1.html is a good place to get started. There's a lot more out there, I just don't remember where I found stuff since it's been a couple of years. I'd highly recommend the fine mesh screens that go over the outer area of the furnace to prevent problems in the future.

On the Monroe web http://www.monroe.com/ site I find the following from the catalog http://catalog.tenneco.com/monroe/eCatalog.do Recreational Vehicles/Toyota Truck/Motorhome Chassis (Mini) for Class C/1986/All Monroe Gas Magnum front 34953 Monroe Gas Magnumn rear 34803 They show the same nubers fitting 1985-1995. You might also take a look at the Bilstein shocks. I have not put them on the Sunrader yet. I do have them on my '96 Ford 4x4 dually that I used to pull a 13,000# 5th wheel with. They are a stiff shock and make a noticeable difference in stability. I ordered mine from http://www.eshocks.com and was happy with the service and price. Bilstein lists these numbers for 1984-1995. AutoZone can special order these if you prefer to deal local. Bilstein HD front: B46-1772-H0 Bilstein HD Rear: B46-0258-H0 http://www.eshocks.com/bil_veh.asp?Model_I...l&SubChar=Q Bilstein RV application guide http://www.bilstein.com/Motorhomes0806.pdf The Gabriel website, http://www.gabriel.com is not pulling up for me. I would recommend against Gabriel products as I've found the damping to be very soft (weak) and my last Gabriel strut only made 6000 miles before leaking heavily. Hope this helps you. On the leaf springs I suspect worn springs that are sagging after years of heavy or over loading. A local spring shop can rearch them. I prefer new springs when available. If Toyota or National RV can't supply the a spring shop can build a new pair. Leaf Assist or Add-A-Leaf is somewhat of a band aid fix if the orginal springs have sagged.

My data is for a 1983 18' rear dinette model. Front bed 51" x 76". Dinette bed 43" x 76" Interior width is 76-77" depending on where I measure and how straight the tape measurer is. Exterior width is 80" rear not counting the rear fender flares or mirrors. It's very easy to maneuver or park. It is shorter than my 1994 F-350 crew cab long bed and has a tremendous turning radius. I also have the soft floor and am debating what to do. Turbo Greg's layover idea is promising. I'm also trying to get more info on reinforcing the underneath as Bajadulce did. In mine the plywood is not delaminated and has no signs of water damage. Seems that Greg's theory of delamination of the foam composite construction due to bad/lacking support design is correct.

I recently purchased an '83 Sunrader and suspect it may have some roof sag.  Does anyone have some pictures of the roof of an 18' model that has a roof in good (correct) shape?  I found the roof pic from the guy who lifted his roof showing a bad roof and need something to compare it to.  Thanks. When I have more time I'll post a purchase/trip report of the 1700 mile trip.

Ran across the following ad and pics for a 1985 Toyota Mirage. Similar build concept to the Sunrader except one big piece of fiberglass and rather......odd. I like it! Can anyone shed any light on these? http://spokane.craigslist.org/rvs/507727930.html http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z258/Ma...backcountry.jpg After further searching I sort of answered a little of my question with the following link: http://home.comcast.net/~ron.dittmer/RVSale.html

http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/files/Axle_FAQ.pdf will take you to the axle FAQ with pictures to help in identifying which axle you have. The e-mail address to the gentleman with the stash of new axles does not appear to work anymore. There was a post somewhere on here (I think...read tons of topics on several sites in last week doing my research) talking about a contact at Dolphin for axle replacement parts. I'd encourage you to take a very close look in all areas of the RV for water damage from leaking windows or roof. It's like rust and icebergs....if you see any odds are you are only seeing a little bit of what is there. This is true of any RV, not just Toyotas.

http://www.alldatadiy.com/recalls/ and http://www.alldatadiy.com/TSB/60/93600950.html should have the info you need. First link is where you start the search for any vehicle, 2nd page is specific to yours. You can buy the bulletins for your vehicle, take the number and search Google for it or take the number to a cooperateve/competent Toyota dealaer and ask for a copy. I suspect Toyota corporate could also help you: If you'd like to discuss your experience or share your comments, Toyota's Customer Experience Center representatives are happy to assist you. Phone: 800-331-4331 Fax: 310-468-7814 Mon - Fri: 5:00 am - 6:00 pm PT Sat: 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PT Or send correspondence to: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. 19001 South Western Ave. Dept. WC11 Torrance, CA 90501 If you obtain the bulletin from a free source you might consider scanning it to share. As I recall most bulletins are not Copyrighted.....but doublecheck me!

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-pump.../rv-showers.htm Is something like this what you are after? PPL is out of Houston, TX and ships nationwide. I also occassionally see them on Craigslist. You might download the Opera or Mozilla web browsers and use www.crazedlist.org to search more than one Craigslist locality at once. Searching RV salvage yards on Google may pull some in your local area. There are also a couple in Missouri and Arizona that ship. Can't recall the names. You might also try a local plumbing supply store or see if you have a local fiberglass shop that can make/modify one for your needs. There was an exibitor at the State Fair of Texas last year that was making custom home showers that was willing to do RV ones as well. Don't recall the company name. I had a residential skylight shop in Dallas make my last RV skylight replacements to my specs. Hope some of that helps.

I'm considering purchasing the '84 Sunrader listed below: http://austin.craigslist.org/rvs/503288489.html I'm curious what kinds of damage the leakage from "motor home has a one piece fiber glass shell but could use a seal job around vents and windows" may have caused. I've recently sold a 33' 5th wheel and dealt with leaky roof/repair issues and it was not fun. The fiberglass clamshell is a big selling point on the Sunrader for this reason. Will this delaminate like a regular fiberglass RV? If water does get in by a window I'd assume it runs down the walls to rot out the floor? I looked at the contruction pic in the brochure. If water was running down the walls I'd think the foam would eventually dry out with little damage. I've read the axle FAQ. What is the cost/availablity of upgrading to the full floating 6-lug rear end? I can do the labor myself. Had the misfortune of breaking an axle in the DRW F-350 with 5th wheel attached earlier in the year. Sure glad it was a full floater! I see several posts about the floor weakening with age. I also see posts about pulling the whole box off and dropping it on a 4x4 chassis. What is involved in moving the box and with it off could you possibly fix the floor without removing the whole interior? I see varying thoughts on if the roof on this vintage would support a roof A/C. Has anyone successfully solved this issue? If I read the brochure correctly all Sunraders were pre-wired for A/C and generator? I'm assuming a 4-speed manual to 5-speed manual swap is pretty simple. Did some searching but could not find out about this for sure. Guessing the worst case might me relocating the trans crossmember and shortening the driveshaft? Can't be that hard since it was a factory option for the chassis. Will an Onan Microlite fit in the Sunraders? The brocure states "marine toilet". Does this mean a normal Thetford RV toilet would not fit? Can anyone offer advice/data on how the tanks are installed? Are the insulated or enclosed? Would it be easy to install the stick on tank heaters? My 5th wheel had insulated and heated tanks with a heated basement. The only problem I had in weather in the upper teens was the water hose freezing. Easily solved by a heated hose or keeping water in the fresh water tank. Thanks to anyone who can offer help/advice. I've looked at the Toyota RVs several times over the years and think it might be something I can actually afford to travel in with fuel prices!